HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
5 July 1989
2041
nationality and Vietnamese boat people. This afternoon, my colleagues will be expressing their views on all these areas, starting off with the nationality issue.
On nationality, I find the premise of the recommendations of the FAC report unacceptable. Whilst the FAC recognized Britain's unique obligation to Hong Kong, it has failed to translate that obligation into responsible action in one very important area. That is the right of abode in Britain for British subjects in Hong Kong and the undeniable responsibilities of the sovereign state towards its subjects.
The FAC report has, in my view, put forward a number of arguments which are fallacious. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly address these points:
The report suggests that the insurance policy concept is a confused argument
I disagree. I think the FAC's argument itself is contradictory. While the committee rejects the idea of providing an insurance policy to the people of Hong Kong, it sees fit, on the other hand and in almost the same breath, to offer some insurance policy to certain groups as an incentive for them to stay. Such a position is wholly illogical and indefensible.
The FAC report argues that Britain will find it very difficult to absorb 3.28 million Hong Kong BDTCs into her society
The scaremongering tactics adopted in rejecting the Hong Kong community's voice to restore the rights of the British subjects are appalling. We have already stressed time and again that the people of Hong Kong do not want to leave this territory. All we want is the provision of an escape route in case of need. I have in my last week's statement to this Council made it clear that this is our home and we want to stay. As far as the FAC is concerned, it seems to have either been totally ignored or fallen on deaf ears.
The report argues that granting full British citizenship to the British subjects in Hong Kong contradicts the Joint Declaration
I do not share this view. When the FAC visited Beijing, Chinese officials were reported to have mentioned to its members that the granting of British citizenship to the people of Hong Kong is entirely a matter for the British Government. In a related vein, we are interested to know why it is now possible for Portuguese passports to be given to Chinese residents in Macau. The FAC would find it difficult to suggest something similar to be done in Hong Kong? By the end of this century, Macau, like Hong Kong, will revert to Chinese sovereignty. And the different treatments afforded by the two sovereign states to their subjects will not be lost on the rest of the world. Why cannot Britain, like Portugal, take the honourable course?